Tips for Purchasing Tool Steel

Standard steel equipment, parts and tools for various construction and mechanical engineering projects may be insufficient for design specification needs. This includes:

  • The need for abrasion resistance
  • Heat treating requirements
  • Sharp cutting requirements
  • Tool steel required to withstand impact loading such as picks, axes and hammers)

Within the tool steel tips for purchasing, it is important to know the types of tool steel needed. This includes:

  • Hot worked (H grade)
  • Oil hardening (O grade)
  • Air hardening (A grade)
  • Shock resistant (S grade)
  • Water hardening (W grade)
  • D Type (D Grade)

With the ability to know the differences in tool steel, it is easier to define specific purposes for purchasing tool steel products.

Several Tips for Purchasing Tool Steel

1. Maintain vigilance over the price of raw materials that comprise tool steel such as alloy and carbon steel suitable for the fabrication needed to produce tools and heavy equipment. Also included in tool steel composition are chromium, molybdenum, tungsten and vanadium as alloy-able elements in the making of tool steel. The cost of this type of steel depends on the cost of raw materials.

2. Determine the percentage of hardness and abrasion resistance of tool steel before purchase to ensure tool steel meets construction specifications.

3. Temperature during the use of tool steel is another important tip related to heat treatment for adequate performance.

4. Before purchasing tool steel, learn the level of corrosiveness and potential for cracking should the process include water quenching.

5. For more detailed information on tool steel, use a reliable source like the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Ref: AISI website

6. It is also important to inquire about the percentage of scrap steel used in the tool steel purchased since this is a common component.

For high-speed tool steel usage, the three most important factors include:

  • Chemical composition
  • Heat treatment
  • Quality of metal

Tool Steel Compatibility

When specific use of tool steel is determined, the next step is to choose a supplier with solid partner relationships with top manufacturers.

Advance Grinding Services Inc has built a reputation for excellent customer service to a broad range of machine shops and structural metal fabricators.

Machine shops and metal fabricators depend on Advance Grinding Services Inc to supply the highest quality steel round bar used in construction, medical, lab, heavy equipment, aerospace and automotive industries.

For example, when mechanical engineers design structures, these designs may require precision grinding of steel parts to meet design specifications.

In order for structural fabricators to complete the construction of these designs, parts, such as precision ground bars, may require non-standard dimensions.

Precision ground bars are put through a grinding process to meet non-standard design dimensions. Precision grinding is the process used to achieve these desired specifications.

In metal manufacturing, the steel round bar process may include, but is not limited to:

  • Cutting
  • Welding
  • Forming
  • Machining
  • Final product assembly

The cylindrical shape is created by choosing the best type of steel for the end product use. Each phase of product fabrication in metal manufacturing has estimated costs involved in final production.

Engineering design also plays a large role in the need for centerless grinding of parts. In industrial processes where fluid control is an important factor, centerless grinding of parts accommodates fluid throughput.

One example of this is a non-standard part used in food manufacturing that requires grinding to allow for fluid density to meet equipment performance specifications. This type of grinding process may also be used to remove certain size imperfections or reshape a workpiece for retrofit purposes

Manufacturing Cost Efficiency

In large facilities, contracting with an independent supplier of grinding services helps businesses maintain budgetary constraints.

However, before you purchase tool steel study the current costs of raw materials such as reliable financial media sources that regularly provide costs for raw materials and also scrap materials that comprise tool steel costs.

By evaluating the factors required for the use of tool steel to meet specifications, purchasing tool steel end products and shipping and delivery can be expedited and more cost-effective.

When you choose Advance Grinding Services, with more than two decades of industry experience, you are assured of expert grinding services by trained and skilled professionals.

Whether your metal manufacturing needs are for grinding services for heavy duty equipment, dies for forming parts for vehicles or power equipment and hand tools, customer satisfaction is a priority at Advance Grinding Services.

The need for grinding services for precision tool steel parts occurs frequently and accounts for the high volume of business contracts Advance Grinding Services Inc. enjoys. Reliability and customer assurance of highest quality results in full and final satisfaction as well as a reputation as an industry leader.

For more details or to be quoted on production and grinding services, visit Advance Grinding Services today.

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